The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-07-14
MEMORABLE SCENES
which Blaine Bore a Conspicu Gus
w." par+ IN, Congress-

r..
U.s. pr,or commanding, the heated debates in
PC congressional halls have led to duels
w. trogedies. The gradual growth of power
aiiO I'D in the States of the North while it
rep o,,oIlifed the climax of such con-
has ,,.pies did not for years abate the acri-
uuIl and bitterness which such contests
lllon l:}oLed In these piping times of peace
pludit;ons have much changed. The in.
co aso feeIing engendered by the war has
@s,bs;dpd Party lines are not welded by
e eutanse feeling, and a scene in either
branch trgrh of Congress is now the excep-
ton. W., ~ co~c,,,s,
Cor+emporaneous with his service as a
:, or,resentative and Senator no one charac-
~! ~ has passed through such momentous and
Lifting periods as James u. Blaine. While
e. the Speakers chair Blaine kept aloof
~ fno, MI PERSONAL controversies. He may have
been behind some of the quarrels, but he
t poTn led them. As Speaker he was an
iato in that he shaped the legislation of
az Iower branch. Unlike all the presiding
o uf who have succeeded him, Blaine
LIVER LIVER allowed a point of order to be
tdobatad He gave to parliamentary law
;nstantaneous effect through prompt rul-
;n% The only recourse from his decision
wa: through appeal, and he was never over
ruled
THE CRISIS OF BLAINE'S HISTORY
a,os in 1876. The Democrats had secured
control of the lower house, and Michael
r Kerr. a pronounced invalid, succeeded to
fbe chair Blaine was then an open candi-
late for the Presidential nomination. On
the floor he was recognized as the leader of
his wing. He was alert, aggressive, de-
faint but never obtrusive Had it not been
for the investigation of the Fort Smith
and Little Rock railroad he might have
remained passive. This inquiry, however
ied TO scenes in the legislative hall the
like of which had not been seen before or
since.
II was in 1876 that ono Harrison, of In
diana. who was a government director of
the Union Pacific railroad, reported the
loss or, misuse, or instruction of certain
bonds of the Fort Smith and Little Rock
railroad Two of the newspapers of the
West who then supported Bristow for the
Presidential nomination, and which now
support Blaine, were used as the instru-
mentality to work public opinion against
Blaine, and the result was a Congressional
Investigation. The leading spirit of the
Fort Smith and Little Rock railroad was
Josiah Caldwell, who at the time the in
vestigation was ordered was in Europe. The
Judiciary Committee, of which j. Proctor
Knott of Kentucky, was Chairman, had
charge of the inquiry, but the responsibility
was turned over to a subcommittee, of
which Eppa Hunton, of Virginia who
subsequently, was a member of the cele-
brated electoral commission, was Chair
man.
As the investigation proceeded there was
the desire on the part of Blaine's maligners
to show that Col Tom Scott, of the Penn
sylvania system, had bought from Caldwell
certain bonds, aggregating in the value of
Sl000O0 which were given to Blaine. Scott
had been on the witness stand two DAYS and
made forcible denial of the allegation Still
the inquiry seemed to be directed to the one
point Caldwell, the principal witness, was
abroad and beyond the reach of the Speak
ers subpoena. He alone could fully exoner-
ate Blaine.
A FIELD-DAY IN THE HOUSE.
lreview this for the antecedent history,s so
that the climax may be better appreciated.
twas one of the warm, lazy days of June,
when the House of Representatives was in
proSaic session. Blaine interrupted the
sleepy proceedings and arose to a personal
privilege. His usual pallid face was flushed.
ldDOTl1R
great mental excitement and strain. Proc
tor Knott sat in his seat, one in the front
row, near the Speaker, unconcerned. From
bis seat, well in the rear, Blaine, addressing
him said
81 want to ask the gentleman from Ken
lucky question. Has he heard from Josiah
CaldwellW
10 this Knott made somewhat an evasive
answer, when Blaine advancing quickly to
where Knott sat, repeated the question.
With great excitement, he added, ~ want
categorical reply"
Mr.. Knott said he would answer in his
own time and way, whereupon the ex-
Speaker, livid with rage, charged that on
tne previous night Knott, as Chairman of
Toe Investigating Committee, had received
a cablegram from Caldwell, dated at Lon
uon, wholly generating him from the i'm
putatlonS cast upon him, and that he sought
toSuppress it,
ms declaration, thus made publicly, pro-
voKed the spirit of fair play, and for ten
minutes there never was such a scene in any
legislative hall. On the floor there was bed
IahL Every one in the crowded galleries
were ON their feet cheering and yelling like
mad Blaine, himself, was the central figure
u y, MS admiring friends, pale and haggard,
While knott's usual blood-red face was al
most vermilion.
~ was that scene which inspired the sug-
SeStion OF The Plumed Knight" to Bob
y gerSou, who nominated Blaine for the
1876. i~-'---'''- O'i' 0--''0''
IN THE CoMMITTEE-RoOM.
-, Inc very next day there was a sequel.
me committee of Investigation was pur-
''TGlnS lts work with Eppa Hunton as its Sub
~ nalriIian, when Knott came into the room.
~. te carried In his hand a blackthorn cane,
Dae, however, he usually carried. 1t was
11sSaVy ana gnarled. Blaine sat at the centre
!. quiUe long table Knott came to where
ae sat and asked him if he did him the in
lu9 ~ OF the belief that he would be party
,e tne suppression of dispatch which might
lllect The Judgment of the Investigators.
.nIu, without raising his eyes, instantly
egDed that the Withholding of its contents
- ~ 70 such conclusion. This angered
ss.I' Again, in more imperious tone he
gpGaled his question, but the only reply
'i an gainsaid was:
A.. nave made you an answer"
os az one time it looked as if Knott might
IL MS temper, and not few who witnessed
NE scene expected a personal assault, When
- og NJ olnLnlttee adjourned Knott walked over
aid. '''' - Vi i'' "'-''
rye, your friend Blaine is the worst
- IN America
yr, ol you forget yourself, - said Frye. Mr..
., 49, uld not put the emphasis on the word
n ;U ro, but one of the local newspapers
reporting it did.
MR.. JAMES MULLIGAN
NM 1He cnlef prosecutor Of Blaine was Jimmy
tt a'sah. lie wasscarcely of average height,
9c rC''u9 we frame, with pinched, malignant
~, ms head. no hi0Onr thnn a cnrnannt.